Switch for electeio cikouits



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. G. O. STIRLING.

SWITCH FOR ELECTRIC CIRCUITS.

No. 398,288. Patented Feb. 19, 1889.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet; 2.

0. 0. STIRLING.

SWITCH FOR ELECTRIC CIRCUITS.

'No. 398,288. Patented Feb. 19, 1889.

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UNITED STATES QATENT ()rmcn.

TO (IIARIJES E. DUSTIN, OF SAME PIACE.

SWIT CH FOR ELECTRIC CIRCUITS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 398,288, dated February 19, 1889.

Application filed June 21, 1887. Serial No. 241,978. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CLARENCE CANFIELD STIRLING, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Switches for Electric Circuits, of which the following is such a full, clear, and exact description as will enable any one skilled in the artto which it-appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

The object of my invention is to simplify the construction of switches, to render the same cheap to be made, and to make such switches so as to be durable as well as effect ive in operation.

Qliy invention consists of an elastic spring fastened at either end, operated by a double crank swi veled upon the same insulati ng-platc upon which the elastic spring is mounted, which latter controls means for completing lhe circuit between circuit-tern'iinals arranged in co-operat-ive proximity thereto; and it consists in details of construction hereinafter to be specified, and which will be pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which the same letl ers designate the same parts throughout the various views, Figure 1 represents a side elevation of apparatus embodying my inventirm, showing the base and casing in cross-section. .Fig. 2 represents a plan of l i 1 with the casing removed, looking from below Fig. 1.

also thebasc and casing in section. Fig. i is a top view of Fig. 3 with the casing removed, and Fig. 5 is a detail view of the circuit-terminals and the circuiii-completing device used in the latter apparatus.

l; is a metal base, upon which mounted an insulating circular plate, 1), which is bolted thereto. This plate is provided with two metal pieces, b 1), arranged diametrically opposite upon the plate, and between these metal pieces is an elastic spring, S, secured to the metal pieces, the latter being notched, as shown, to allow the spring to vibrate. Swiveled at the center of the insulating-plate is a double crank, C, which is provided at its Fi 3 represents a modification of f the apparatus in the previous figures, showing outer end with a handle, II, for manual operation. The double crankis made of a broad piece of metal, which is cut away at its vertical portion to allow the spring S to pass through it. The crank C is shown clearly 11 Fig. 3. This cutting away of its vertical portion leaves two posts upon opposite sides of the spring S, between which the spring can play, and by which it is actuated.

Mounted loosely upon the pivot of the crank, just above the plate p, is an arm, i, of the form shown in Figs. 1 and 2, all except the end portions being below the spring S, which passes through two raised portions of the same, (shown at the left hand of Fig. 2,) by which means as the spring is operated it throws the arm i into the dotted-line position shown in Fig. 2, or from this position to theposition shown by full lines in the same figure. Stops s s and s .5" serve to limit this arm and the crank in their movements, as will be seen by reference to the dotted and full lines in Fig. 2, which shows as well the spring S in dotted and full lines, representing its two extreme positions. The ends of this arm 1' are upturned, as will be seen by reference to Fig. l, and are provided with circuit-completing metallic pieces, which are adapted to pass between. circuit-tmaninals i I and l" l, secured to metallic blocks (Z and e, respectively, which pieces (1 and e are nionnted upon an insulating-plate, p. The arm i i may be made of conducting material or of insulating material. In the former case the circuit will be completed from the terminal t to the terminal I, constituting in this case a switch for a single circuit. In case the arm i is made of insulating material, or the contacts c and o are insulated therefrom only, which would be the same thing, the springs H and i would be insulated from each f other and each connected with the terminals of its own circuit, in which event the appa ratus would constitute a double-pole switch without departing from the spirit of my invcntion.

derstood from the foregoing, and needs, there fore, no further explanation.

In the modification illustrated in Figs. 3, 4, and 5 the arm 2', carrying the circuit-com- The operation of my apparatus will be un- IOO spring.

pleting means, is dispensed with, and the contactmaker c is attached directly to the spring S by means of screws which take into the circuit-completer c, and whose heads grip the This construction is shown in the detail View, Fig. 5. The metal piece 61 in the modification is raised above the metal piece 6, both of which carrying the circuit-springs t and t, respectively, which form the termi- IO nals of the circuit.

In the construction shown in the modification the elastic spring S, the double crank for operating it, and all other adjuncts other than those excepted above are preserved, and

the parts are provided with a casing, O, for

housing the apparatus, as in the first form described. I

I may use other means than the double crank for actuating the spring S, and do not 2o wish to strictly confine myself to the employ- 0 stantaneous withdrawal of the contacts from each other, this action occurring when the spring S has passed its dead-pointa point between its extreme positions and midway between the sameattcr passing which point 3 5 the elasticity of the spring actuates the parts independentlyof the means of manipulation.

I reserve the right in practice to make all those changes that fall within the scope of what I now desire to claim and secure by Lot- 0 tors Patent, which is 1. A switch for an electric circuit, embodying a spring-plate secured at each end, a double crankembracing and directly acting upon said spring, and circuit-completing means operated by said spring for controlling electric terminals.

2. A switch for an electric circuit, consisting of a sprin secured at each end and moun ted upon an insulating-base, a double crank swiveled in said base and embracing said spring and acting directly upon it, circuitcompleting means operated by the latter, and circuit-terminals arranged in co-operative position thereto and controlled-by the aforesaid circuit-completing means.

3. A switch for electric circuits, embodying, essentially, an elastic spring secured at each end, circuit-controlling devices operated by said elastic spring, and a handle embracing and directly manipulating the latter to govern the electrical connections.

4. A switch for electric circuits, consisting of an elastic spring secured at each end, a handle embracing said spring, a circuit-completing arm actuated solely by the movements of said spring, and circuitterminals arranged in the path of said circuit-completing arm.

5. A switch for an electric circuit, consisting of an elastic spring secured at each end, a double crank swiveled in an insulating-base embracing and directly governing said spring, an arm carrying circuit-completing devices journaled on the pivot of said crank, directly actuated by the aforesaid spring, and circuitterminals arranged in co-operative position to said circuit-completing devices upon the arm for controlling the circuit-terminals when the spring is manipulated.

6. A switch for an electric circuit, consisting of an elastic spring secured at each end, a handle embracing said spring, an insulatingarm carrying circuit-completing devices at the ends actuated solely by the movements of said spring, and two sets of circuit-terminals arranged in the path of said arm.

7. A switch consist-ing of an elastic spring secured at each end and mounted upon an insulating-plate upon a base, a double crank swiveled upon said plate and embracingsaid spring for directly operating the same, with a handle upon its outer end for manipulation, circuit-completin g means controlled by said spring, electric terminals for co-operation with said circuit-completing means, and a casing for housing the apparatus.

8. A switch for electric circuits, consisting of an elastic spring secured at each end and mounted upon an insulating-plate upon a base, a double crank swiveled upon said plate and embracing said spring for directly operating the same, with a handle upon its outer end for manipulation, an arm carrying circuitcompleting means at each end operated by said spring and journaled about the pivot of the aforesaid crank, electric terminals for cooperation with said circuit-completing means upon the arm, and a casing for the apparatus carried by the base.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, this 20th day of September, 1886, in the presence of. the tWo subscribing Witnesses.

CLARENCE CANFIELD STIRLING.

'itnesses:

MERLE J. WIGHTMAN, OLOF OFFRELL. 

